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evaroyter's review against another edition
3.0
3 stars but a good three stars. I read the Pevear and Volokhonsky translation which read extremely literal and not as an interpretation. I speak conversational Russian and I can imagine exactly how the dialogue sounded and I guess I would prefer a little more embellishment.
Overall, I liked this book, and I can see exactly why it’s considered a classic. The second half of the book was a bit less compelling for me, but all together it read like a cohesive story. The characters were all (for the most part) well developed and interesting, and with the amount of main characters they all seemed necessary and it didn’t feel overwhelming trying to keep with them all, which is impressive in it of itself.
Overall, I liked this book, and I can see exactly why it’s considered a classic. The second half of the book was a bit less compelling for me, but all together it read like a cohesive story. The characters were all (for the most part) well developed and interesting, and with the amount of main characters they all seemed necessary and it didn’t feel overwhelming trying to keep with them all, which is impressive in it of itself.
emilyplun's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Super funny, made me laugh out loud multiple times. Julian Rhind-Tutt, the narrator for the audiobook, is also fantastic and does really good voices.
The biggest drawback for me was the pacing
The biggest drawback for me was the pacing
johanmirfin's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Terrifically mad and engaging throughout
keinowd11's review against another edition
challenging
dark
funny
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
myiopsitta's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
bthadifields's review against another edition
Primer dnf del año (did not finish)
No tengo mucho que decir sobre esta obra, salvo que no fue el momento adecuado para leerlo, además de ciertos elementos que entorpecían mi lectura.
El primero siendo el siguiente: HAY DEMASIADOS PERSONAJES, no se les puede seguir el ritmo a tantas tramas, tantos personajes ni tantos puntos de vista.
El segundo punto es que esto se supone que es una sátira al gobierno de la unión soviética pero con tantas analogías y metáfora Y TANTAS TRAMAS la intención se diluyo entre las palabras.
Quizá en algún momento retome el libro, no obstante creo que tendrá que pasar mucho tiempo para volver que tener ganas siquiera.
No tengo mucho que decir sobre esta obra, salvo que no fue el momento adecuado para leerlo, además de ciertos elementos que entorpecían mi lectura.
El primero siendo el siguiente: HAY DEMASIADOS PERSONAJES, no se les puede seguir el ritmo a tantas tramas, tantos personajes ni tantos puntos de vista.
El segundo punto es que esto se supone que es una sátira al gobierno de la unión soviética pero con tantas analogías y metáfora Y TANTAS TRAMAS la intención se diluyo entre las palabras.
Quizá en algún momento retome el libro, no obstante creo que tendrá que pasar mucho tiempo para volver que tener ganas siquiera.
karmyi's review against another edition
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
jedwards97's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
The Master and Margarita is a wild ride. Book one dashes between different moments of absurd chaos that flourishes in Moscow after the arrival of the devil, whilst book two delves into a traditional linear narrative involving the devil and Margarita. The typical “antagonist” characters, if you can call them that, are the most enthralling. Their bouts of comedy mixed with acts of terror create such an entertaining read that the book stands out immediately as one of a kind. The writing has so much deeply embedded meaning that I need to give it a second read to grasp all of the ideas and feelings comprehensively, it was so easy to get sucked up in the story (in a great way) that I felt I whizzed past much of the deeper concepts of the novel. It was my first read of magical realism, i can only hope many other works in the genre have followed suit!
gsolar's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0